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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2021 12:06:35 GMT
Some comments made on a Facebook site suggesting GF is going?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2021 20:11:08 GMT
It's certainly a rumour that has been doing the rounds for a fair while and, when you look back at how the depot seems to have declined over the last decade, it wouldn't be a surprise. Indeed at a bus users' group meeting a couple of years ago even the depot's General Manager admitted things weren't great, and there have been attempts to change drivers' contracts after it was reported the depot is no longer profitable. Over the last year pretty much anything remotely youthful has seemingly been swapped with older vehicles from elsewhere too. I haven't heard anything concrete though. Are you able to share what you've heard?
I've tried to compile below a rough timeline of how the depot has changed over the last decade...
Routes registered in that time: 8 (only 3 of these are still registered, although 1 hasn't run since COVID)
Routes deregistered in that time: 20 (not included route 81 as it was only two trips associated with 462/3 tender)
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September 2012 - 21 (Guildford to Newdigate) withdrawn. 24 & 25 (Guildford to Cranleigh) lost at retendering to Countryliner. Cranleigh depot closed. New University shuttle route 38 launched.
September 2013 - Guildford Park & Ride routes 100 (Spectrum) and 200 (Artington) lost at retendering to Stagecoach. St. Peter's School routes PT3 (Chiddingfold) and PT4 (Compton) taken on by Arriva from Abellio Surrey.
September 2014 - 42 (Guildford to Cranleigh) taken over by Compass Bus.
January 2015 - PT4 (St. Peter's School to Compton) taken over by Abellio Surrey.
June 2015 - 32 (Guildford to Redhill) taken over by Compass Bus.
July 2015 - PT3 (St. Peter's School to Chiddingfold) taken over by Abellio Surrey.
March 2016 - 17 (Guildford to Fairlands) taken over by Stagecoach. 28 (Guildford to Woking) diverted via longer route to take in Fairlands Estate, increasing journey times for passengers on the southern section.
September 2016 - 28 (Guildford to Woking) taken over by Buses Excetera after 6 months of the above merge attempt and restored to more direct route.
May 2017 - New X1 (Guildford to Horsham) coach service launched, taking a quicker route than their own 63.
April 2017 - Minibuses introduced on route 3 (Guildford to Bellfields).
November 2017 - Conventional buses returned to route 3 (Guildford to Bellfields), following a petition by local residents due to reports of overcrowding on the minibuses which was handed to Arriva at a residents meeting in June.
March 2018 - X1 (Guildford to Horsham) and 38 (University Shuttle) withdrawn.
July 2018 - Stagecoach launched new Guildford routes 1/2 which shadowed Arriva's circular routes 26/27. Arriva no longer able to serve the University of Surrey Stag Hill or Manor Park campuses, or Surrey Sports Park.
September 2018 - 81 (Woking to Barnsbury, 2 trips), 437 (Woking to Byfleet), and 462/463 (Woking to Guildford) lost at retendering to White Bus.
October 2018 - At a North West Surrey Bus Users Group meeting, Guildford's General Manager admitted the loss of the University market had been a blow to business, and confirmed that Arriva were still actively tendering locally (there had been rumours they hadn't submitted tenders for the 81/437/462/463). It was stated that Arriva were committed to Surrey, but recognised that Guildford wasn't as strong as it once was and places such as Woking were up and coming and (at the time, pre-Covid!) airports nearby such as Heathrow may offer new opportunities.
November 2018 - 26/27 (Guildford western circulars) withdrawn due to the loss of access to University of Surrey campuses and subsequent competition from Stagecoach. New Guildford circulars A (Royal Surrey County Hospital), B (Park Barn) and C (Stoughton) launched.
December 2018 - Local news reported that Arriva say the depot is not profitable and the company planned to re-employ drivers on revised contracts.
January 2019 - Safeguard began competing over Arriva's established route 3 (Guildford to Bellfields), following the launch of Arriva's B into Park Barn two months earlier.
March 2019 - 479 (Guildford to Epsom) taken on by Arriva after Buses Excetera ceased trading.
December 2019 - 3 (Guildford to Bellfieds, Mon-Sat) and B (Guildford to Park Barn) withdrawn.
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Post by capitalomnibus on Jan 6, 2021 2:35:28 GMT
Some comments made on a Facebook site suggesting GF is going? Just rumours at this stage. The whole UK bus is going through various stages of changes over the next few months and could see garage closures, doesn't mean [GF] is closing. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2021 16:03:21 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2021 21:52:47 GMT
Looks like another garage closure |
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